Comeaux High Teacher Uses Free Time to Bring Students Together

One teacher at Comeaux High School is inspiring her students off the clock. After 10 years of teaching, Simone McCrocklin decided it was time to create an art class, geared toward a different set of students. She says that having the regular and special education students in the same classroom made it difficult to cater to all of her students. "We have to focus so much attention on the regular ed that I felt like they were lost in the shuffle," McCrocklin says. The class pairs special education students with a senior volunteer for a semester. Both the seniors and the special ed students are receiving class credit for the cours. The seniors say it's more about the experience than the extra credit. "It really opens up your heart," says Mary Evans. "It's definitely taught me more patience. I have to learn how to take my time with things and how to work better with others," says Dylan Hebert. Only a week into the semester, McCrocklin says she's already impressed wih how the seniors are tackling the class. She and the students are giving up their off time, but they say they can't think of anywhere else they'd rather be.

"They go and they do, and hey want to be here. They're more than willing to work with the kids," McCrocklin says, "it's not in their social circle, but in this class it becomes a social circle."